`It is scandalous that Wadsworth was suspended by the general secretary, Iain McNicol, because he dared to challenge a Labour MP who was a high-profile opponent of the democratically elected Labour leader, and raise the issue of black political under-representation at the launch of the Shami Chakrabarti report into antisemitism and racism. Fortunately, the moment when Wadsworth spoke out was captured on a video that has been widely publicised by the media. It clearly demonstrates he is not guilty of antisemitism.

At the launch of the Shami Chakrabarti report into anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, black activist Marc Wadsworth said:

“I saw that the Telegraph handed a copy of a press release to Ruth Smeeth MP so you can see who is working hand in hand. If you look around this room, how many African Caribbean and Asian people are there? We need to get our house in order.”

You can see the video of him saying it on the Independent website here.

Sky News has been reporting this, I think gleefully is the word, in its headlines all afternoon as an “anti-Semitic attack” on Ms Smeeth. Sky have not however shown what he actually said, although they had cameras at the event, and their journalist who was present described the comments without qualification as anti-Semitic without saying what the comment actually was.

Mr Wadsworth denies knowing Ms Smeeth is Jewish. I have no idea if that is true; I didn’t know myself, nor care. But neither what Wadsworth actually said, not his denial that he knew she is Jewish, is being reported by the broadcast media. What is being reported very widely is Ms Smeeth’s subsequent statement:

“I was verbally attacked by a Momentum activist and Jeremy Corbyn supporter who used traditional anti-Semitic slurs to attack me for being part of a “media conspiracy”. It is beyond belief that someone could come to the launch of a report about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and espouse such vile conspiracy theories against Jewish people.”

Ms Smeeth’s statement contains one stark dishonesty. She puts “media conspiracy” in inverted commas, when Mr Wadsworth did not use the phrase, or even either of those two words separately. Ms Smeeth appears to have deliberately misrepresented what Mr Wadsworth said, which I presume she checked.

NOT GUILTY – I will not accept NEC `warning`

I have a number of friends who were Owen Smith supporters and who probably believed the hype about "nasty Corbyn supporters".

But when I got suspended they were genuinely shocked. I have had offers from them wanting to act as a character witness for me. Very sweet of them, but I have never done abuse.

Whilst waiting outside the B'ham hustings (I didn't get a ticket) while some were booing Owen Smith and calling him a traitor, I shook his hand and welcomed him and genuinely told him it was nice to meet him. It's who I am and how I am. At 55 I am hardly going to change now.

But that is not the same as "rolling over". Far from it. When I feel strongly about an injustice I do not let go. It is usually about other people, but this time I guess I am the one feeling oppressed!

One of Thousands

No Natural Justice.

No Due Process.

Rebecca:

I was suspended near to the end of the 2nd election campaign, just two days after I finally got an email vote and voted Corbyn!

I haven't had any explanation, and to be left like this in limbo, I consider an insult to all my efforts in supporting and working with Labour (mobilisation officer for In Campaign in my area) campaigning, attending meetings, standing up for Jeremy Corbyn as leader.

Just to be left like this, really hurts.

Conditions of Lifting Suspensions

In a further crass decision by the NEC they are now lifting suspensions by proclaiming a person guilty and giving them a WARNING and also informing members that `it will be left on file for future reference`!

It is disturbing that the L.P. have zero respect for due process and natural justice.

We have dozens of people who have been sent no evidence of their alleged crime, given no right of reply - and yet the NEC act as a combined judge jury and executioner.

NO CHECKS NO BALANCES

Suspended for FOUR MONTHS for a tweet that was not abusive and most definitely fair comment:

Addressed to one of the resigning MPs, the text was: '@RhonddaBryant Thanks for the long pompous resignation letter. If only you could shit outside the tent instead of in it! Bye'.

Now 4 months later they receive this:

"I am pleased to inform you that your administrative suspension from the Labour Party has been lifted and that you are now free to resume active membership. You were suspended following posts you allegedly wrote on Social Media which may have caused offence to some members.

The NEC has since taken into account the wider context in which your comments were made and has seen fit to lift your suspension with immediate effect. We welcome you back to full membership of the Party".

I think it is crucial to demand an apology. This should, at most , have been put in a file to issue a possible warning (and then dismissed) - certainly not instant suspension for abuse.

Unacceptable ‘un-suspension’ letter

Philip William:

I got my ‘un-suspension’ letter today :

I was suspended on a whim for something that was obviously not worth a suspension, but which could serve as a useful pretext to remove a Corbyn supporter’s vote from him? They cashed my £10.00 cheque for my SAR a couple of weeks ago, so I hope this will shed more light when it eventually comes through. Iain McNichol ‘welcome[s me] back to full membership of the Party’. I’ll bet he does as well!

I am fuming that this was quite obviously a trumped up charge that some over enthusiastic compliance officer has just acted on without due care. I’ve missed the leadership election, my branch meetings and my CLP AGM as a result of this suspension. It doesn’t even say what the allegation is. I cannot WAIT for my SAR to come through. They cashed the cheque a couple of weeks ago so they had better send me one.

I’ve missed the leadership election, my branch meetings and my CLP AGM as a result of this suspension. It doesn’t even say what the allegation is. I cannot WAIT for my SAR to come through. They cashed the cheque a couple of weeks ago so they had better send me one.

Philip William`s ‘un-suspension’ letter

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THE NEC and McNicol must be called to Book NOW – such gross incompetence and injustice evidenced, and yet STILL they continue

One extraordinary illustration of the incompetence and unfairness overseen by Iain McNicol is a case where a member was purged because of a retweet ... BUT McNicol hadn`t even bothered to check the identity of the person.

Someone obviously had searched twitter for the person`s name to find something to report him for. AND they found someone of that name and reported him and he was purged. BUT it wasn`t him, it was an American of the same name.

So, maybe you think that`s a one off, and is the worse it can get? NOPE. Today we learnt of someone who was suspended for allegedly `paying for a vote`!

Now no-one paid for a vote anyway but what makes this extra extraordinary is that this person knew nothing about the offer to pay for people`s groceries.

Guess what - they lifted his suspension BUT they have given him a Warning and `case left on file`!